Arnold Palmer Timeline

1929 |
Arnold Palmer is born on Sept. 10 in Latrobe, Pa.

1933 |
A 4-year-old Arnold Palmer swings a golf club for the first time, one cut down by his father, Milfred J. (Deacon) Palmer, the golf professional and course superintendent at Latrobe Country Club from 1921 until his death in 1976.

1940 |
An 11-year Palmer begins caddying at Latrobe Country Club.

1946 |
At age 17, Palmer wins the first of his five West Penn Amateur Championships.

1954 |
Palmer wins the United States Amateur Championship and his second straight Ohio Amateur title. He also marries Winifred (Winnie) Walzer shortly after he turns professional in the fall.

1955 |
Palmer wins the Canadian Open for his first professional victory.

1956 |
Palmer wins the Insurance City Open, the Panama Open, the Columbia Open and the Eastern Open.

1957 |
Palmer wins the Houston Open, the Azalea Open Invitational, the Rubber City Open Invitational and the San Diego Open Invitational.

1958 |
Palmer wins his first Masters championship at Augusta National Golf Club, the St. Petersburg Open and the Pepsi Open en route to becoming the PGA Tour's leading money winner for 1958.

1959 |
Palmer wins the Thunderbird Invitational with a career-best 62 in the fourth round, the Oklahoma City Open Invitational and the West Palm Beach Open Invitational.

1960 |
Palmer wins his second Masters championship and the U.S. Open championship at Cherry Hills Country Club in Denver. He also wins the Bob Hope Desert Golf Classic, the Texas Open Invitational, the Baton Rouge Open, the Pensacola Open Invitational, the Insurance City Open and the Mobile Sertoma Open and the Canada Cup with partner Sam Snead.

1961 |
Palmer wins his first British Open championship at Royal Birkdale. He also wins the San Diego Open, the Phoenix Open, the Baton Rouge Open, the Texas Open and the Western Open. He also wins his first Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average on the PGA Tour.

1962 |
Palmer wins his third Masters championship, his second British Open championship at Royal Troon, and also the Bob Hope Desert Classic, the Phoenix Open, the Texas Open, the Tournament of Champions, the Colonial National Invitational, the American Golf Classic and the Canada Cup with partner Sam Snead. He also wins his second Vardon Trophy.

1963 |
Palmer captains the victorious U.S. Ryder Cup team at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, and also wins the Los Angeles Open, the Phoenix Open, the Pensacola Open, the Thunderbird Classic, the Cleveland Open, the Western Open and the Whitemarsh Open Invitational. He also wins the Canada Cup with partner Jack Nicklaus.

1964 |
Palmer wins his fourth and final Masters championship, the Oklahoma City Open, the Piccadilly World Match Play Championship and the Canada Cup with partner Jack Nicklaus. He also wins his third Vardon Trophy.

1965 |
Palmer wins the Tournament of Champions.

1966 |
Palmer wins the Los Angeles Open after tying his career best of 62 in the third round, the Tournament of Champions, the Australian Open, the Houston Champions International, the PGA Team Championship and the Canada Cup, both with partner Jack Nicklaus.

1967 |
Palmer wins the Los Angeles Open, the Tucson Open, the American Golf Classic, the Thunderbird Classic, the Piccadilly World Match Play Championship, the World Cup with partner Jack Nicklaus and the individual World Cup International Trophy. He also wins his fourth and final Vardon Trophy.

1968 |
Palmer wins the Bob Hope Desert Classic and the Kemper Open, making him the first player to earn $1 million in career winnings.

1969 |
Palmer is named the Associated Press Athlete of the Decade for the 1960s. He also wins the Heritage Classic and the Danny Thomas Diplomat Classic. In September, he shoots his all-time low round of 60 at Latrobe Country Club.

1970 |
Palmer and a group of associates acquire the lease at Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Fla., site of the annual Bay Hill Invitational. He also wins the National Four-Ball Championship and the PGA Team Championship with partner Jack Nicklaus.

1971 |
Palmer founds Latrobe Country Club in his hometown of Latrobe, Pa., and is named winner of the USGA's Bob Jones Award. He also wins the Bob Hope Desert Classic, the Citrus Open, the Westchester Classic, the Lancome Trophy and the PGA Team Championship with partner Jack Nicklaus.

1973 |
Palmer wins the Bob Hope Desert Classic for the last of his 62 career PGA Tour victories.

1974 |
Palmer is elected a charter member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

1975 |
Palmer captains the victorious U.S. Ryder Cup team at Laurel Valley Golf Club in Ligonier, Pa., site of the 2005 Senior PGA Championship. He also wins the Spanish Open and the British PGA Championship.

1976 |
Palmer makes aviation history when he flies around the world in a Lear 36, setting a world record for that class of plane.

1977 |
Palmer publishes "Arnold Palmer's Best 54 Holes of Golf," one of many books he has authored.

1980 |
Palmer wins his first Senior PGA Championship in his debut in the event, at Turnberry Isle Country Club in North Miami Beach, Fla., and the Canadian PGA Championship. He also is elected to the PGA Hall of Fame.

1981 |
Palmer becomes the first person to win the U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Open.

1984 |
Along with winning his second Senior PGA Championship title, Palmer wins the Doug Sanders Celebrity Pro-Am, the Senior Tournament Players Championship and the Quadel (Boca Grove) Classic. He also is elected to the All-American Collegiate Golf Hall of Fame and named its Man of Year. Palmer also founds Arnold Palmer Golf Management, which will go on to become one of the golf industry's leading providers of management and instruction services.

1985 |
Palmer wins the Senior Tournament Players Championship.

1986 |
Palmer wins the Unionmutual Classic.

1988 |
Palmer wins the Crestar Classic for the last of his 12 Senior Tour championships.

1989 |
The Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Women opens in Orlando, Fla.

1992 |
Palmer is elected to the Ohio Golf Hall of Fame and the Phoenix Open Hall of Fame.

1994 |
Palmer makes his 32nd and final appearance in the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club and the PGA Championship at Southern Hills.

1995 |
Palmer makes his 35th and final appearance in the British Open at St. Andrews.

1996 |
Palmer captains the United States Presidents Cup team.

1997 |
Palmer undergoes successful prostate cancer surgery, leading him to become a strong advocate of programs supporting cancer research and early detection.

2000 |
In July, Palmer plays in his combined 1,000th PGA Tour and Champions Tour event. He also joins Jack Nicklaus and Byron Nelson as the first recipients of the Payne Stewart Award.

2001 |
Palmer becomes the third player in PGA Tour history to shoot his age with a 71 in the fourth round of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

2003 |
Palmer makes record 49th consecutive start at the Masters.

2004 |
Arnold Palmer celebrates his 50th year in professional golf and also plays in his 50th and final Masters. He also is presented with the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush at a White House ceremony.